Patents Issued in December 29, 2020
  • Patent number: 10875476
    Abstract: A thermal radiation shield for the floors and roofs of trailer reefer units. The shield includes a low-emissivity, heat reflecting film that includes a metal coating layer, preferably vapor deposited, further protected by a layer of durable PET film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Inventor: Michael C. LaRocco
  • Patent number: 10875477
    Abstract: A license plate holder allows a license plate to be temporarily attached to a vehicle without the use of tools, magnets, or suction cups. The license plate holder attaches to a vehicle where a license plate is typically attached and includes an expandable pocket into which a license plate may be inserted or removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Inventor: Michael J. Biehl
  • Patent number: 10875478
    Abstract: Provided is a braided wire (1) capable of suppressing disconnection of strands (2) caused by vibration, and a wire harness (3) in which the braided wire (1) is used. The braided wire (1) includes a plurality of the strands (2) that are braided. The braided wire (1) has a tubular shape. The strands (2) are each constituted by an aluminum wire or an aluminum alloy wire. The strand has a strand diameter of 0.25 mm or more and less than 0.34 mm. The wire harness (3) includes the braided wire (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignees: AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD., SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD., SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Kensuke Yamada
  • Patent number: 10875479
    Abstract: A vehicular circuit body provided in a vehicle includes a trunk line that extends in at least a front-and-rear direction of the vehicle and a plurality of control boxes that are provided in the trunk line. The trunk line includes a power source line having a predetermined current capacity and a communication line having a predetermined communication capacity. The communication line is routed so that at least a part of the plurality of control boxes are connected in a ring form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro Takamatsu, Koichi Uezono, Kousuke Kinoshita, Atsushi Nakata, Yasuyuki Saito, Kazuyuki Oiwa, Terumitsu Sugimoto, Taku Furuta, Noriaki Sasaki, Yukinari Naganishi, Sadaharu Okuda, Kunihiko Yamada
  • Patent number: 10875480
    Abstract: A bumper arrangement of a passenger car has an upper and a lower load path. A spring element is provided on the transverse support of the lower load path, which, in the event of a collision of a pedestrian with the passenger car, exerts an additional force on the lower leg of the pedestrian, so as to support the movement of the pedestrian in the direction of the front hood of the passenger car.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Gerhard Fichtinger, Martin Gross, Mazdak Novine, Tim Rudolph
  • Patent number: 10875481
    Abstract: The mounting position or the mounting angle of an external environment detection device relative to a vehicle body is prevented from changing even after experiencing a light collision, and a favorable external appearance of the vehicle body in a mounting part of the external environment detection device is ensured. A mounting structure includes a bumper side garnish (42) having an opening (44) facing a prescribed detecting direction of a laser radar device (38), and a device side garnish (46) extending from an outer periphery of the detection device, and including a lip (50) that overlaps with an opening edge (44) of the bumper side garnish (42) located on a periphery (44A) of the opening (44).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shinichi Kishi
  • Patent number: 10875482
    Abstract: A mounting mechanism for mounting an underride system on a structure, comprises a pair of clamping jaws, and a first bracket including a first edge for coupling the underride system thereto. The first bracket further includes a second edge for coupling the pair of clamping jaws thereto. Wherein, the first bracket and the pair of clamping jaws define a jaw opening therebetween configured to receive at least a portion of the structure for removably mounting the underride system on the structure using the mounting mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: MAXON INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Karapet Ablabutyan, Akop Gasparian
  • Patent number: 10875483
    Abstract: In order to detect a vehicle accident in which a vehicle and an object crash into one another, wherein a motion variable assigned to the collision is so low that at least one active occupant protection system provided for accidents in the vehicle is not activated by the crash, it is provided, with respect to the collision event, that signals and/or data formed by sensors of the vehicle are processed in such a manner that the signals and/or data are filtered, feature data are formed based on the filtered signals and/or data, and the collision event is assigned to a classification in a classification database based on the feature data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Angelo De Silva, Johannes Malotta, Wolfgang Hundt
  • Patent number: 10875484
    Abstract: An airbag device which is capable of efficiently suppressing an injury value of an occupant during an emergency. The airbag device 100 includes: an inflator 112 which is installed in a vehicle and which is capable of supplying gas; a main bag 114 which inflates to the front of a seat of the vehicle due to the gas; and an outer bag 116 which inflates so as to surround the main bag 114 due to the gas. The outer bag 116 includes an opening 118 which opens toward an occupant sitting on the seat and which exposes a portion (a rear region 120) of the main bag 114. The outer bag 116 surrounds and presses against the main bag 114, such that the portion of the main bag 114 protrudes from the opening 118 toward the occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT AB
    Inventors: Yutaka Nakajima, Hiroya Tabushi
  • Patent number: 10875485
    Abstract: A trim panel assembly includes a trim panel configured to be removably connected to a pillar of a vehicle body structure. A connecting member includes a first part connected to the trim panel and a second part configured to be connected to the pillar. The first part is configured to be separable from the second part. A fastening member is connected between the first and second parts of the connecting member to limit a separation distance of the trim panel when the first part separates from the second part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Emmanuel Martinez Beltran
  • Patent number: 10875486
    Abstract: An airbag device for a vehicle may include: a housing fixed to a seat on which a passenger is seated; an inflator fixed to the housing, and generating operation gas; and a cushion mounted in the housing, expanded by the operation gas received from the inflator, and deployed in a shape to cover the body of the passenger seated on the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jae Hyun Kim
  • Patent number: 10875487
    Abstract: A side airbag device stored in a side support of a vehicle seat includes an airbag module having an airbag with first and second chambers and an inflator and a webbing partially covering the airbag module. The first chamber is deployed toward a front side of the side support and the second chamber accommodates the inflator therein and is deployed at an inner side with respect to the first chamber. The webbing extends from a rear side of the airbag module along an inner side surface of the airbag module, passes through a pad of the side support along a first path so as to reach an outside of the side support, and further extend along an outer surface of the side support and reach proximately a front edge of the side support when viewed in horizontal cross section of the airbag module from above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT AB
    Inventors: Yuto Kobayashi, Mitsuo Nogami
  • Patent number: 10875488
    Abstract: A passenger protection apparatus includes an inflator and an airbag. The inflator is configured to supply gas. The airbag is configured to deploy to surround a sitting position of a passenger by the gas supplied from the inflator. One end of the airbag is supported on an upper portion of a vehicle, and the other end of the airbag contacts an in-vehicle member and is supported by the in-vehicle member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shota Kanegae
  • Patent number: 10875489
    Abstract: The present invention provides a gas generator, including an outer shell housing having a top plate, a bottom plate and a circumferential wall provided with a gas discharge port, a combustion chamber accommodating a gas generating agent, a cylindrical filter and an ignition device disposed in a cup-shaped ignition device chamber housing, the bottom surface of the cup-shaped ignition device chamber housing facing the top plate and an end surface of the opening thereof abutting against the bottom plate, a length from an upper end surface to a lower end surface of the cylindrical filter being shorter than a distance from the top plate to the bottom plate of the outer shell housing, and the cylindrical filter being disposed such that the upper end surface faces the top plate and the lower end surface faces the combustion chamber, a cup-shaped cover member which has a bottom surface, a circumferential wall and an opening, further being disposed between the cup-shaped ignition device chamber housing and the cylindr
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: DAICEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masato Hirooka, Koji Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10875490
    Abstract: A hybrid airbag inflator (100, 200) has a disk-shaped pressure vessel having a central axis with a domed upper housing portion (20) with a sealed exhaust port (22) for releasing inflation gases and a domed lower body portion (10) welded to the domed upper housing portion (20). The domed lower body portion (10) has one or more protrusions (12) extending from an outer or exterior surface positioned offset from the center axis. At least one of the protrusions (12) houses an igniter assembly (60) with accessible electrical connections (61, 63). The disk-shaped pressure vessel inflator (100, 200) contains gas generant pellets (2) and a quantity of pressurized inert gas (1) for inflating an airbag. The combination of the protrusions (12) and domed lower body portion (10) has a unique profile of a petaloid shape. Optionally, the domed upper housing portion (20) can also have the petaloid shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Kent Norman, III, William F. McLeod
  • Patent number: 10875491
    Abstract: A pyrotechnic activated body panel lift actuator assembly for a vehicle having a unique deployment profile and energy absorbing feature is disclosed. The assembly has a pyrotechnic actuator, a thin-walled tube and a piston. The tapered portion of the piston forms a recess between the piston and the tube. One or more balls sized to fit in the recess are provided. Upon activation, the piston is thrust proximally outwardly to lift a portion of a body panel to absorb an impact of a person hit by the vehicle and thereafter the piston retracts under controlled substantially constant force generated by balls moving up the tapered portion of the shaft thereby locally plastically deforming the thin-walled tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Hishon
  • Patent number: 10875492
    Abstract: A hinge base member (5) and a hinge upper member (15) of a hinge (1) for an engine hood (3) are provided with main bodies (5, 17) each having a laterally facing major plane, and link members (9, 10) are connected between the main bodies of the hinge base member and the hinge upper member and overlies the main bodies of the hinge base member and the hinge upper member from a first lateral side. The hinge upper member is provided with an extension (17) fixedly attached to the side part of the hood and extending forward from the main body of the hinge upper member with an offset to a second lateral side opposite to the first lateral side with respect to the main body of the hinge base member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Maeda, Osamu Ito
  • Patent number: 10875494
    Abstract: An adaptive belt is attached to a vehicle seat and includes a first section (101), a second section (102), and a third section (103). The adaptive belt includes a retracted configuration and a fully extended configuration. In the retracted configuration, the adaptive belt is folded between the first section and the second section such that a first attachment attaches the first section to a first portion of the second section. In the retracted configuration, the adaptive belt is also folded between the second section and the third section such that a second attachment attaches a second portion of the second section to a first portion of the third section. In the fully extended configuration, all of the attachments fail thereby increasing a length of the adaptive belt. In response to a threshold loading condition, the adaptive belt changes from the retracted configuration to the fully extended configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Safran Seats USA LLC
    Inventor: Aamir F. Jafri
  • Patent number: 10875495
    Abstract: An assembly includes a seat, a lap retractor fixed relative to the seat, a shoulder retractor fixed relative to the seat, and a first buckle fixed relative to the seat. A lap belt is retractably extendable from the lap retractor. A first tongue is fixed to the lap belt and is releasably engageable with the first buckle. A second buckle is fixed to the lap belt. A shoulder belt is retractably extendable from the shoulder retractor. A second tongue is fixed to the shoulder belt and is releasably engageable with the second buckle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Derek Board, Richard Edward Ruthinowski
  • Patent number: 10875496
    Abstract: An object outside of a vehicle can be detected with vehicle sensor data. A load for the vehicle can be predicted at least in part based on classifying the object. A vehicle component can be actuated based on the predicted load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: David Michael Herman, David A. Herman, Nunzio DeCia, David Joseph Orris, Nicholas Alexander Scheufler, Stephen Jay Orris, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10875497
    Abstract: A method for preventing drive off of a refrigerated transport unit includes detecting whether an electrical power system of the refrigerated transport unit is electrically connected to a utility power source, and performing an action when the electrical power system is electrically connected to the utility power source includes. A drive off protection system includes a refrigerated transport unit including an electrical power system and a controller that monitors the electrical power system. The controller configured to perform an action when the electrical power system is electrically connected to the refrigerated transport unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Thermo King Corporation
    Inventor: Matthew Srnec
  • Patent number: 10875498
    Abstract: A vehicular alert system includes a door locking control disposed at a vehicle and operable to lock a plurality of doors of the vehicle responsive to a door lock signal received from a remote transmitter carried by a user. The remote transmitter is operable to transmit a triggering signal to the door locking control. Responsive to the transmitted triggering signal, the door locking control locks the doors of the vehicle. Responsive to the transmitted triggering signal, the vehicular alert system determines whether at least one door of the vehicle is not fully closed. Responsive to determination that at least one door of the vehicle is not fully closed, the vehicular alert system generates an alert to alert the user that at least one door of the vehicle is not fully closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Prathyush Kumar Keshipeddy
  • Patent number: 10875499
    Abstract: A method is disclosed that is implemented by a computing device in a vehicle. Identifying information is obtained from an occupant of the vehicle via an input device operatively connected to the computing device. If the computing device has connectivity to a remote authentication server, the computing device transmits a request to the authentication server, and controls whether full operation of the vehicle is enabled or disabled based on a response from the remote authentication server. The request includes the identifying information and a vehicle identifier of the vehicle, and requests that the authentication server determine, based on the identifying information and the vehicle identifier, whether the occupant is authorized to operate the vehicle. If the computing device lacks connectivity to the remote authentication server, full operation of the vehicle is temporarily enabled until the computing device has connectivity to the remote authentication server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Inventors: Michael J. Mouser, Philip A. Weaver, Donald J. Finney
  • Patent number: 10875501
    Abstract: An in-vehicle device includes a plurality of transmitting antennas, an in-vehicle device transmitter configured to transmit measurement signals via the plurality of respective transmitting antennas, an in-vehicle device receiver configured to receive, from a portable device, a measurement result signal that includes measurement data of received signal strengths of the respective measurement signals that have been transmitted from the plurality of respective transmitting antennas, and an in-vehicle device controller configured to determine whether to identify a location of the portable device based on the received signal strengths included in the measurement result signal, and, in a case where the in-vehicle device controller has determined that the location of the portable device is to be identified, identify the location of the portable device based on the received signal strengths included in the measurement result signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Nakajima, Satoshi Hayasaka, Akira Hashimoto, Itaru Yamana, Yasuhiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10875502
    Abstract: A method for monitoring and modifying motor vehicle functions, includes the following steps: ascertaining an anomalous behavior of a function; transmitting the anomalous behavior to a back end; receiving instructions from the back end, the instructions indicating acute measures to be taken in the motor vehicle in order to adequately react to the anomalous behavior of the function; ascertaining a motor vehicle component which is the cause of the anomalous behavior on the basis of the received instructions; converting the motor vehicle component to a degraded configuration which has a limited functional scope; and if the conversion to the degraded configuration is not possible, converting the motor vehicle component to a safe configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Kay Fischer, Albrecht Neff, Michael Pitz
  • Patent number: 10875503
    Abstract: A method and a system for theft prevention from an autonomous vehicle are provided. The method includes acquiring data from one or more sensors associated with the autonomous vehicle and analyzing, using processing circuitry, the data to determine whether one or more exterior systems of the autonomous vehicle are tampered with. An alert is output to an electronic device associated with a user of the vehicle when a whether one or more exterior systems of the autonomous vehicle are tampered with. Further, an alert is output the user that the autonomous vehicle is no longer safe to be operated when at least one of the one or more exterior systems tampered with belongs to a predefined category. Further, a signal is output to the vehicle to control one or more systems of the vehicle when whether one or more exterior systems of the autonomous vehicle are tampered with.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Scott L. Frederick, Scott P. Robison, Adam D. Holmstrom
  • Patent number: 10875504
    Abstract: A wiper blade end cap (22 and 22?), comprising at least one sealing element (22a) for sealing a channel for delivering windscreen washer fluid of a member of the blade (10), characterised in that said at least one sealing element (22a) comprises a channel (22a1), referred to as the end channel, intended to be brought into communication with said delivery channel when said delivery channel is sealed, and at least one spray opening (22a2 and 22a2?) originating at said end channel (22a1) and emerging on the outside of said cap (22 and 22?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Valeo Systèmes d'Essuyage
    Inventor: Gérald Caillot
  • Patent number: 10875505
    Abstract: The invention proposes a system (10) for wiping a vehicle window (12), comprising: at least one windscreen wiper blade (14) adapted to be driven by a drive arm (16) of the wiper system (10) with alternating movements sweeping at least one portion of the exterior surface of a window to be wiped between two positions at which the sweeping direction is reversed; a device (18) for spraying a liquid onto the exterior surface; a pump for feeding the sprayer device (18) with liquid; a circuit (CP) for controlling the feeding of the sprayer device (18) by the pump (38) as a function of the sweeping direction, characterized in that it includes a sensor (CA) of acceleration of the windscreen wiper that is carried by the windscreen wiper and that is connected to the control circuit (CP) in order to supply to the control circuit (CP) signals representing the value of the acceleration of the windscreen wiper (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Valeo Systèmes d'Essuyage
    Inventors: Guillaume Mouleyre, William Terrasse
  • Patent number: 10875506
    Abstract: A housing device includes a first housing part and a second housing part arranged at different heights, each housing part to house a storage battery, and a first guide and a second guide to assist insertion of the storage battery into a respective one of the first housing part and the second housing part. The first guide and the second guide assist the insertion of the storage batteries in different respective manners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Koketsu, Kenichi Etsunagi, Michihito Okado, Takumi Shiiyama, Ryo Oshima, Ryuichi Kimata
  • Patent number: 10875507
    Abstract: A vehicle includes: a floor panel; an under cover disposed below the floor panel in the vehicle; a parking lock mechanism, disposed between the floor panel and the under cover, switching, using an actuator, a locked state for constraining rotation of a wheel and an unlocked state for not constraining rotation of the wheel; and a parking lock manual releasing mechanism, disposed between the floor panel and the parking lock mechanism, switching, when the parking lock mechanism is in the locked state, the state of the parking lock mechanism to the unlocked state on a basis of manual operation of an operation portion. Further, the under cover includes a visual recognition hole for viewing the operation portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kawanishi, Yoshinori Morita, Eiji Ito
  • Patent number: 10875508
    Abstract: A vehicle traveling assistance method in which a braking timing of a vehicle in manual driving is learned and traveling in automatic driving is assisted based on the learned braking timing, includes activating a brake in the automatic driving such that a timing at which a driver senses a braking operation is earlier than the learned braking timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hwaseon Jang, Takashi Sunda
  • Patent number: 10875509
    Abstract: A vehicle starter aid system is provided for a vehicle having at least one driven axle and at least one non-driven axle. An electrically controllable brake system generates brake application signals as a function of input signals for the wheel brake actuators on the at least one driven axle. The inputs signals are received from a rotational speed sensor of the at least one non-driven axle and at least one signal-generator which generates signals which represent intended driving away of the vehicle from the stationary state and are different from the wheel rotational speed signals. An electronic brake control unit controls application of the wheel brake actuators of the at least one driven axle if the rotational speed signals of the rotational speed sensor correspond to zero wheel rotational speed and at the same time the signals of the signal-generator indicate the intended driving away of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: KNORR-BREMSE Systeme fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventor: Frank Werner
  • Patent number: 10875510
    Abstract: A method for controlling an electronically slip-controllable power braking system of a motor vehicle. Power braking systems are equipped with a plunger unit, which includes a plunger piston accommodated in a plunger cylinder and delimiting a working chamber, for generating brake pressure in brake circuits. This plunger piston is actuatable by an electronically activatable drive in a pressure buildup direction or in the opposing spatial direction thereto in a pressure reducing direction. A time-limited drive of the plunger piston takes place in the pressure reducing direction as soon as an actual brake pressure generated by the plunger unit has reached a predefinable setpoint brake pressure and a decoupling of a wheel brake and the plunger unit from an associated brake circuit has taken place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Wagner, Matthias Kranich, Nicholas Taubitz, Reid Collins, Stefan Zahariev, Alfred Strehle
  • Patent number: 10875511
    Abstract: Systems and methods for brake redundancy for an autonomous vehicle are provided. An autonomous vehicle braking system can include a primary brake control module comprising one or more processors. The primary brake control module can be configured to brake an autonomous vehicle in response to receiving a braking command from a vehicle autonomy system of the autonomous vehicle. The autonomous vehicle braking system can further include a secondary brake control module comprising one or more processors. The secondary brake control module can be configured to determine a failure of the primary brake control module to brake the autonomous vehicle in response to receiving the braking command. In response to determining the failure of the primary brake control module to brake the autonomous vehicle, the secondary brake control module can be configured to implement a braking action for the autonomous vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: UATC, LLC
    Inventors: Dirk John VandenBerg, III, Nicholas G. Letwin
  • Patent number: 10875512
    Abstract: A method for boosting a braking force in an electronically slip-controllable vehicle brake system, as well as an electronically slip-controllable vehicle brake system. Vehicle brake systems of this kind are at least equipped with a power brake unit and electronic slip-controllable vehicle brake system. In the case of a malfunction of the power brake unit, the traction-slip control device (92) takes over the boosting. A method for determining a composite signal which is adjusted by controlling a drive of a pressure generator of the slip-controllable vehicle brake system accordingly. To this end, an electronic control unit records two mutually independent input quantities, converts these input quantities into evaluation signals and sums the evaluation signals mathematically to yield a composite signal. The latter represents a setpoint brake pressure that the slip-controllable vehicle brake system supplies by controlling a pressure generator accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Florian Haag, Herbert Vollert, Jens Kolarsky
  • Patent number: 10875513
    Abstract: A pump assembly for generating a brake pressure in a hydraulic slip-controlled power vehicle braking system, including a fluid sensor between an electric motor and a piston cylinder unit with the aid of which a small brake fluid quantity inadvertently leaking from the piston cylinder unit in the form of leakage is ascertainable before it affects a function of an electronic control or the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Marc Micke
  • Patent number: 10875514
    Abstract: A method for operating a dual-circuit hydraulic brake system of a vehicle having an ABS function to feed back pressure medium from low-pressure reservoirs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Inventors: Andreas Neu, Michael Hitzel, Michael Jung, Tobias Scheller
  • Patent number: 10875515
    Abstract: A braking control device comprising: an operation amount acquisition device that obtains an operation amount for a braking operation member; a pressurizing unit that presses a friction member to a rotating member fixed to a wheel using an electric motor; a control that controls output of the electric motor based on the operation amount; a pressing force acquisition device that obtains the actual pressing force of the friction member pressing on the rotating member; and a rotation angle acquisition device that obtains the actual rotation angle of the motor. The control: stores the correlation between the actual pressing force and the actual rotation angle; approximates a function map indicated by a second degree or higher polynominal, based on the correlation; calculates a target rotation angle based on the operation amount and the function map; and controls the electric motor to match actual rotation angle and the target rotation angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: ADVICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Izumoto
  • Patent number: 10875516
    Abstract: Disclosed is an actuator of an electronic brake system including: a motor having a stator and a rotor for generating a rotational force by an electrical signal, the rotor having an accommodating space therein; a power conversion unit disposed in the accommodating space, and including a spindle rotated by a rotational force of the rotor and a nut coupled to the spindle to be linearly moved by rotation of the spindle; a piston coupled to move with the nut; and a sleeve coupled to one end of the rotor by a bearing so that the rotor is relatively rotatable and having an inner space communicating with the accommodating space and accommodating the piston so as to be able to move forward and backward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Youngsong Lee
  • Patent number: 10875517
    Abstract: A manual transmission for a hybrid drive of a motor vehicle having transmission input shafts (1, 3) and an output shaft (2), an electric machine, and a plurality of shifting elements. The main transmission has a fourth shaft (4) and a plurality of wheel planes. A planetary transmission unit is associated with the electric machine which can be coupled to the main transmission. The planetary transmission unit has first, second and third transmission components. The plurality of shifting elements are selectively engageable to produce various gear ratios between input shaft (1) and output shaft (2) and/or shaft (3) and output shaft (2). The fourth shaft (4) is coupleable to an auxiliary power take-off and, in either a standstill or a driving gear, the fourth shaft (4) is in driving connection with shaft (1) and/or shaft (3) by way of one of the wheel planes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Rayk Gersten, Stefan Renner, Johannes Kaltenbach, Johannes Glückler
  • Patent number: 10875518
    Abstract: A combined multistage hybrid transmission has a transmission housing; a transmission input shaft; a transmission output shaft; a first planetary gear set with a first sun pinion, a first ring gear, and a first carrier shaft on which at least one first planetary gear is rotatably mounted; a second planetary gear set with a second sun pinion, a second ring gear, and a second carrier shaft on which at least one second planetary gear is rotatably mounted. An electromechanical energy converter is rotationally fixed to the first sun pinion, wherein the first ring gear is rotationally fixed to the second sun pinion by an intermediate shaft. The transmission output shaft is arranged axially parallel and at a radial distance to the transmission input shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Benjamin Kluge, Sebastian Liebert, Ulrich Ohnemus, Fritz Pobitzer
  • Patent number: 10875519
    Abstract: An engine stop-start fuel saving system for a vocational vehicle propelled by a conventional internal combustion engine and powertrain. The system uses a low storage capacity, rapid recharge, high cycle life electric energy storage device, such as an ultracapacitor. The system also includes a generator that is coupled to the engine and that is connected to recharge the electric energy storage device, as well as a motor that is powered by the energy storage device and that is coupled to the engine. The system also includes a controller that can activate the motor to restart the engine when it is stopped, and engage the generator to recharge the electric energy storage device, and that can subsequently stop the engine again when the electric energy storage device has reached a threshold charge level. The electric energy storage device also powers at least one of: integral vehicle equipment; peripheral vehicle equipment; or an electrical outlet circuit with a socket for external plugin equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Développement Effenco Inc.
    Inventors: Benoit Lacroix, David Arsenault, Dany Fouquet
  • Patent number: 10875520
    Abstract: The hybrid vehicle performs battery-less drive control to control an engine such that the engine is autonomously operated at an autonomous operation rotation speed, to control a first motor such that a torque based on a driving force required for a run of the hybrid vehicle is output from the first motor, and to control a second motor such that an electric power by subtracting an auxiliary machinery power from an electric power charged or discharged by the first motor is charged or discharged by the second motor. During the battery-less drive control, when a rotation speed of the engine becomes lower than a first predetermined rotation speed that is lower than the autonomous operation rotation speed, the hybrid vehicle performs torque adjustment control to decrease an absolute value of the torque output from the first motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuaki Okabe
  • Patent number: 10875521
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a hybrid powertrain or driveline that includes an engine and an integrated starter/generator are described. In one example, engine power is adjusted based on a time averaged transmission input shaft power so that the engine may operate in a power region where its performance is enhanced to support operation in an off-road environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Lars Niklas Pettersson
  • Patent number: 10875522
    Abstract: A method for preventing takeoff of a motor velocity of a hybrid electric vehicle, may include checking whether an engine clutch is disengaged while an engine and a motor are simultaneously driven, checking whether a command of motor torque is zero when the engine clutch is disengaged, and checking whether the motor velocity is normal while the command of the motor torque is zero, wherein when the motor velocity abnormally increases as a result of checking whether the motor velocity is normal, the motor torque is corrected to be zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Jae-Sang Lim, Gu-Bae Kang, Young-Un Kim
  • Patent number: 10875523
    Abstract: A method for operating a hybrid drive train of a motor vehicle, comprises the following steps: closing the separating clutch in order to mechanically couple the internal combustion engine to at least one wheel and to propel the motor vehicle, whereby the drive power is supplied at least partially by the internal combustion engine; determining the TARGET drive power (P) of the drive train of the motor vehicle; determining the ACTUAL speed (V) of the motor vehicle; determining the switchover power (U) to separate the separating clutch and to operate the drive train in the serial mode of operation (SB) as a function of the determined ACTUAL speed (V); and issuing a warning message when the difference between the switchover power (U) and the TARGET drive power (P) falls below a prescribed drive power tolerance value (T). Furthermore, the invention relates to a motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Harry Hamann, Johannes Grünewald, Rainer Wrede
  • Patent number: 10875524
    Abstract: The invention elates to a method for operating a transversal guidance system of a motor vehicle through two independent channels to perform automatic transversal guidance interventions. Through the first channel, transversal interventions are performed via a first transversal guidance actuator controlled by means of a driver-operated steering handle. Through the second channel, a vehicle system sets a target, roll angle, and a second transversal guidance actuator is controlled by a transversal guidance system that performs a transversal guidance intervention based on the roll angle. The vehicle system displays the roll angle as a notification to the driver of the transversal guidance intervention. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle configured to perform the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Christoph Mueller
  • Patent number: 10875525
    Abstract: Techniques for ability enhancement are described. In some embodiments, devices and systems located in a transportation network share threat information with one another, in order to enhance a user's ability to operate or function in a transportation-related context. In one embodiment, a process in a vehicle receives threat information from a remote device, the threat information based on information about objects or conditions proximate to the remote device. The process then determines that the threat information is relevant to the safe operation of the vehicle. Then, the process modifies operation of the vehicle based on the threat information, such as by presenting a message to the operator of the vehicle and/or controlling the vehicle itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
    Inventors: Richard T. Lord, Robert W. Lord, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Clarence T. Tegreene, Roderick A. Hyde, Lowell L. Wood, Muriel Y. Ishikawa, Victoria Y. H. Wood, Charles Whitmer, Paramvir Bahl, Douglas C. Burger, Ranveer Chandra, William H. Gates, III, Pablos Holman, Jordin T. Kare, Craig J. Mundie, Tim Paek, Desney S. Tan, Lin Zhong, Matthew G. Dyor
  • Patent number: 10875526
    Abstract: A vehicular vision system includes a camera, a distance sensor and a controller having at least one processor, where image data captured by the camera and sensor data captured by the distance sensor are processed at the controller. The controller, responsive to processing of captured image data and of captured sensor data, detects an object. The controller determines the distance to the detected object based at least in part on difference between the positions of the detected object in captured image data and in captured sensor data. The controller, responsive to processing of captured image data and of captured sensor data, and responsive to the determined distance to the detected object, determines that the detected object represents a collision risk. The controller informs a driver of the vehicle of the collision risk and/or controls the vehicle to mitigate the collision risk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Yuesheng Lu, Joel S. Gibson, Duane W. Gebauer, Richard D. Shriner, Patrick A. Miller
  • Patent number: 10875527
    Abstract: A vehicular collision avoidance system includes a forward-viewing camera, a rearward-viewing camera, a rearward-sensing radar sensor and an electronic control unit. The vehicular collision avoidance system detects vehicles present forward and/or rearward of the equipped vehicle. Responsive to at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) data processing of image data captured by the rearward-viewing camera and (ii) data processing of sensor data captured by the rearward-sensing radar sensor, the vehicular collision avoidance system determines potential of collision with the equipped vehicle by a detected other vehicle and/or determines that impact with the equipped vehicle by a detected other vehicle is imminent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: MAGNA ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Johannes Wolf